


In Which Kuroo is an Optimist and Daishou is an Asshole

by Toboe1087



Series: Shared Memories [13]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a kind of happy ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24762250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toboe1087/pseuds/Toboe1087
Summary: Kuroo had always known his soulmate hated him, but it was one thing to know it and another to have his soulmate shove it in his face.
Relationships: Daishou Suguru/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Shared Memories [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1223309
Comments: 10
Kudos: 152





	In Which Kuroo is an Optimist and Daishou is an Asshole

Kuroo wasn’t sure what to do about his soulmate. 

The memories he received… well. There were some normal ones: the guy playing with his mom or laughing in a park or doing homework. He worked hard at volleyball and always seemed to have everyone’s respect. It was easy to see that he was smart and really loyal to his friends. 

But other memories weren’t so normal. 

Like the many times he’d seen the boy drawing a picture of what looked like a tiny Kuroo dying, the pencil digging into the paper as he sketched out Kuroo’s hair. 

No one else that Kuroo knew had a soulmate who regularly thought about their deaths. 

Kuroo didn’t like to think about _how many_ times his soulmate must have drawn that picture if Kuroo had managed to see it in not only one soulmate memory, but several.

Still, though, Kuroo had thought maybe things would change once they actually met. Maybe he could convince him. 

But then another memory had come, and Kuroo had seen her. 

His soulmate had gone on a date, and he was obviously head over heals for this chick. 

Yamaka Mika.

Kuroo wanted to hate her, but he couldn’t. She had made his soulmate laugh in that same unguarded way that Kuroo had only heard the guy do when he was with his mother.

His soulmate was in a relationship with someone else, and he was happy.

Kuroo really should have seen this coming. 

He’d had the memory this morning while he was brushing his teeth, and at first he’d been angry that the guy wasn’t even going to give Kuroo a chance, but now he just felt empty. Numb.

Like he’d given up.

Kuroo had been stupid, assuming he had a chance. That he could make this work. Of course he couldn’t make it work. His soulmate probably didn’t like guys that way or something—that’s why he’d drawn Kuroo dying all those times. 

Fate had messed up.

Kuroo should probably just act like he didn’t have a soulmate. That would be better, right? Pretend that this asshole didn’t exist and move on. 

He could find someone else to date, just like his soulmate had. 

It might not be a fated match or anything, but plenty of people found someone else they could be happy with. It would take some time, but he could do it. 

Soulmates weren’t the only way to find a happy match. 

But when they went to the next tournament and Kuroo heard a guy yelling the name Mika-chan, his head shot around like a whip. 

He stared.

That was her. 

That was his soulmate’s girlfriend. 

And she was hugging another volleyball player and the guy was grinning at her and—

Daishou. She called him Daishou. 

“Kuro?” 

Kuroo shook his head, turning to Kenma with a grin. “What’s up, Kenma-cat?”

“Who is that?”

Kuroo’s grin faltered. “No one! No one at all.” 

“He’s wearing the jersey for the team we’re playing tomorrow.” 

Oh. Kuroo wasn’t so sure he could handle that, honestly. He’d been trying so hard not to think about his soulmate, but the memories kept coming and made that impossible. Would this Daishou guy even realize Kuroo was his soulmate? He had to, right? The guy had drawn Kuroo’s hair so he must have seen Kuroo’s reflection at some point in a memory but what did that mean? What should he do? What would _he_ do? Should Kuroo ignore him, or—

“Kuro.” Shit. Kenma’s voice was angry. “Who is he?”

“Sorry.” Kuroo rubbed at the back of his neck, glancing at his friend before being drawn back to watching his soulmate flirt with Mika-chan. “You know my asshole soulmate?”

Golden eyes widened, immediately turning back toward the figure across the gym. “We’ll win tomorrow, then. I’ll make sure of it.” 

Kuroo snorted, then turned away from watching Daishou as he reached out to mess up Kenma’s hair. “Sounds great.” 

They won.

Kuroo was benched for the last 10 points of the third set, though. The coach yelled at him for being erratic and gave him a long lecture about the necessity of consistency.

Kuroo _knew_ that, but his idiot soulmate kept waving to his girlfriend and she kept cheering for him and…

Kuroo didn’t even want a relationship with the asshole. Not at this point. 

But it still hurt. 

He didn’t want to deal with this pain. He just wanted it all to stop. 

And then they lined up to shake hands. 

Kuroo’s feet felt like lead as he walked toward the net. 

He knew Kenma was worried, but Kuroo still lined up last, reluctant to face this moment.

What if he just refused to shake his soulmate’s hand? It would be incredibly rude, but the other guy _had_ drawn Kuroo dying multiple times. 

And then he was staring at Daishou’s outstretched hand. His soulmate was smirking at him. “Good game.” 

That was it? He had to know who Kuroo was, but that was all the asshole was going to say? Annoyed, Kuroo reached up and grabbed his hand. 

Daishou’s grip was firm, like a trap sucking him in. Kuroo couldn’t move, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating all at once. 

And then Daishou let go, and stepped away from the net, turning to follow his team.

Kuroo stared at him. How could the asshole just _leave_? “Wait!” Kuroo ran after him, grabbing Daishou’s shoulder. “Did you not feel that?”

Daishou turned around, shoving Kuroo’s hand away and hissing at him under his breath, “Look, I don’t want anything to do with you, alright? Nothing will changed just because we've met. There’s nothing between us and there never will be.” 

When Daishou walked away that time, Kuroo let him.

He’d known.

He’d _known_ that’s how the other guy felt.

“Coach wants us at the bus, Kuroo!” 

Right. Kuroo swallowed. Nothing had happened, really. He’d just confirmed what he already knew. “Coming!” Kuroo turned and jogged back to his team. 

The next time he saw Daishou, it was a year later and Kuroo was team captain. Now that he knew his soulmate’s team, he’d been able to keep up with the guy on social media, which…. Well, Kenma was probably right that he shouldn’t do it. A clean split might help him move on and start dating other people or something. And seeing all the pictures he posted with Mika-chan…

Kuroo really hated those. So when he saw the asshole in the hallway with his team before the match, Kuroo couldn’t help but call out to him. “Oi, Daishou! You still dating that girl?”

The Nohebi captain froze, then slowly turned around to glare at Kuroo, his fake smile sliding into place. “Yes. Are you still incapable of finding anyone who would date a slob like you?”

Really? He was going to blame their problems on _Kuroo_? “She know how much of an asshole you are?”

“And you know so much about me.” Daishou sneered. “She knows me far better than you do.”

Kenma pulled on his wrist. “Kuro, we should go.” 

“Listen to your owner, kitty cat.”

Kuroo lunged forward, but then Kai was there, holding him back. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you Kuroo, but we really should go. Our match starts soon.” The vice-captain turned to glare at the other team. “We’ll settle this on the court.” 

Daishou smirked. “I’m terrified.”

“We’ll cream you just like we did last year.” Kuroo pushed Kai’s hands away. He didn’t need to be held back. He could control himself. 

“Right. Wasn’t that when you were warming up the bench because you couldn’t hit a spike?”

Kuroo snarled, “I’ll see you on the court, asshole!” He spun on his heel, marching toward the gym doors. They’d beat Nohebi again. There was no other option. 

They lost. 

Kuroo didn’t have any trouble at all while playing, but Nohebi was a lot stronger this year. As they shook hands after the match, Daishou’s shake was like a vice grip. “I thought you kitties were going to beat us on the court, Kuroo? What happened?”

Kuroo glared at him. “There’s always fall inter high.”

Daishou laughed, releasing Kuroo’s hand. “I’m so scared.” 

Kuroo watched his soulmate return to his team, laughing and already planning how to win the next day’s match. 

To make everything worse, when Kuroo had separated from the team to go to the restroom before they left, he’d run into Nohebi again. Only this time, Mika-chan was with them. 

Shit. Why did Daishou have to look so freaking happy when he was with her? And then the asshole saw him. He made eye contact with Kuroo, then grinned and whispered something to the girl before kissing her. 

Kuroo broke. 

He crossed the hallway in seconds, jerking the asshole away from his girlfriend and then punching him square in the face. “What the hell?! You’re an asshole to me for years, you dismiss me when we finally meet, and now you freaking kiss your girlfriend in front of me too, you piece of shit?!”

Daishou stared up at him, his eyes wide as he lay on the floor. 

Everyone in the hallway gave them a wide birth, and Kuroo stood there, his fist clenched as he stared at his soulmate. “You won’t even tell me _why_ you don’t want to be with me. What did I do? Why do you hate the idea of soulmates so much?! I saw plenty of memories of you drawing my death, but never once did I see _why_ you hated me, asshole!” 

Mika-chan gasped behind him. “You… you have to have the wrong person. Daishou told me he didn’t have a soulmate.” 

“Oh, so you lied to her? That’s how you got her to date you? Smooth.” Kuroo glared at his soulmate as Daishou stood up, wiping at the blood pooling beneath his nose. 

“I didn’t lie to her. I don’t have a soulmate.” 

Kuroo laughed. “That’s rich! Then how do I know that her name is Mika? That you love the show Romance Haven, but you’d never admit it to anyone? That you hated volleyball when you started, but played anyways because you wanted to impress your mom? That you like to draw snakes all over your papers? That—”

“Shut up!” Daishou was practically shaking. “I don’t have a soulmate because you’re _nothing_ to me!” 

“Why?!” Kuroo stepped forward, inches away from Daishou’s face as he glared at him. “Why am I nothing, huh?! I deserve to know that much!” 

“You mean… all this time, you’ve had a soulmate and you’ve been ignoring him in order to date me?”

They both turned to stare at the girl. What the hell? Why was _she_ crying? Kuroo was the one who should be crying here!

“Daishou… I can’t… I can’t split up soulmates like that. I just can’t. I’m sorry.” And then she was running down the hallway.

Daishou stood frozen for a split second, then shoved past Kuroo chasing after her.

What the hell?!

Had that just happened? Had he been ignored _again_?

Had Mika just broken up with Daishou? 

Had Kuroo just punched his soulmate?

And now Kenma was at his side, appearing from nowhere and nudging him. “C’mon, Kuro. Let’s go home.” 

Right. 

Home.

Kuroo was given a week’s suspension from school for punching a kid from another school while representing Nekoma, but everyone said he’d gotten off lightly. He was still the team captain, after all. 

Kuroo knew it was because they pitied him. 

He could see it in everyone’s eyes, and he hated it. 

Fuck, he just wanted to know why! And not to have the asshole kiss other people in front of him. That would be nice, too. 

Kuroo was definitely _not_ taking secret pleasure in the fact that social media showed Daishou was miserable and Mika was refusing to date him again. 

Nope. 

Kuroo would _never_ take joy from another person’s pain, especially not his soulmate’s. 

… Ok maybe he totally would, but he was completely justified in doing so. 

But Kenma somehow blocked Kuroo from Daishou’s social media feed, and Kuroo tried to move on. He really did! He even went on a date with a guy whose soulmate had died before they’d ever met, but it was really depressing when the only thing they seemed to have in common was a terrible situation with their soulmates. 

Before Kuroo knew it, the fall inter high matches were starting, and he was giving the team their prep talk when the asshole’s voice cut through the middle of his talk. 

“Your usual. That would be a high level of defense and teamwork, right? But you kitties lack decisiveness.”

“What was that?” Yamato was sneering at the snake, the whole team on edge now that they knew what the asshole had done to their team captain. 

Kuroo sighed, crossing his arms and glaring at his soulmate. “Don’t bother, Yamato. Don’t let the snake asshole get to you.” 

Daishou smirked. “You and that hair. Are you sure you’re not lying about your height? You can’t actually be 180cm tall.”

The gall. He _knew_ Kuroo hated the way his hair looked! “I’d never do something so petty! I always make sure I squish it down when I’m measured!” 

“Oh _suuuure_ you do. Just like you squish it with a pillow at night to make sure it sticks up.”

“I do not!” Kuroo seethed. If he was going to bring that up— “How’s Mika-chan? She talking to you again yet, you liar?”

“Whoa, there!” Kai was suddenly between the two of them, and then Lev showed up, towering over the Nohebi team from behind. “You were talking about our usual strategy, right? I think you’ll find our usual isn’t what it used to be.” 

Daishou sneered, “You cats are always the same.” He looked back toward Kuroo, pointing at him, and Kuroo pointed right back.

“I’ll see you on the court!” 

Kuroo glared at his soulmate. How dare he speak at the same time?! Kenma was tugging at his sleeve, though, so Kuroo gave the asshole one last sneer before he followed his teammates. 

As for the match itself, Kuroo had been worried when Yaku had gotten hurt, but they thankfully managed to win. 

They’d beaten Daishou. 

They’d won!

They were going to nationals, and the Battle at the Garbage Heap might actually happen!

So why did Kuroo feel so empty inside?

He’d _won_.

Kenma stared at him the whole ride home, but he didn’t say anything. 

He’d probably never see Daishou again, right? Who knew if they guy would continue playing volleyball. He played the sport because his mom liked it, not because he did. 

Yet when Nekoma went to Nationals, there was Daishou, sitting in the stands next to Mika-chan.

Kuroo’s heart froze.

Why was he here?

Why was he here with _her_?

Kuroo wasn’t even going to think about it. He couldn’t He had to focus. And he even managed to succeed, somewhat. Until they lost to Karasuno and Daishou was standing in the hallway, waiting for Kuroo with Mika-chan by his side. 

“Well if it isn’t the man of the hour! How does it feel to lose your fated Battle of the Garbage Dump?” Mika-chan elbowed Daishou in the side and the snake frowned, looking away. “I’m told that I should apologize to you and explain some things.” 

Kuroo raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise. I suppose I have Mika-chan to thank for this change in heart?”

“Yes.” Daishou bit out. Mika-chan nudged him again and he groaned. “Fine! Fine. Look, can we just go somewhere and talk, bastard, or is your team leaving now?”

Kuroo frowned. They’d all wanted to watch the next matches and Nekomata had allowed it, so they weren’t leaving any time soon. “I can talk.” 

Daishou huffed. “You were supposed to say no.” 

“Yeah? Well maybe I actually want to hear whatever sorry excuse you have for treating me like shit.” 

“Whatever. Let’s just go to the food court and get this over with.” 

Kuroo shrugged, then frowned when Mika followed after them. “Is she coming, too?” He’d thought they were about to have some sort of twisted kind of heart to heart or something.

The girl smiled at him. “You want me to come. If I don’t, he’ll leave and won’t tell you anything.”

Kuroo raised an eyebrow, then sighed as he turned back toward his annoyed soulmate. “Alrighty, then. Mika-chan can come, I guess. Mind if I bring a friend to make sure I don’t punch you in the face again, then?”

Daishou glared at him. “Text Kenma for all I care.” 

Kuroo grinned, then quickly did exactly that. He wasn’t about to deal with these two snakes on his own. Kenma showed up a few minutes after they’d gotten their food, sliding into the booth with a sigh and stealing some of Kuroo’s fries. “You owe me.”

“Of course, Kenma-cat.” With Kenma here, Kuroo turned to stare at the two tense, silent snakes. “Well?”

“I hate you.” 

“Yeah, I got that after the first five times you drew me dying.” 

Kuroo grinned as Mika-chan glared at Daishou.

“Did you have to bring those up again?”

“Dude. How many times must you have drawn it in order for me to see it that often? Of course I had to bring it up again.” 

Daishou scowled. “Look, my parents are soulmates, right? That’s the case with most kids. But mine hated each other. My father was a bastard who took my mom for granted and then walked out on us with another woman when I was four. My mother was miserable—she thought it was all her fault. So I hated the whole idea of fated matches because that was the only reason they were together, and I wanted nothing to do with soulmates. I never have. It’s a stupid system. That’s it. Now you know.” He turned to Mika, “There! I told him. Now can we go?”

“No.” The girl pushed at his shoulder. “Sit down and answer his questions!”

Daishou scowled, but turned expectantly toward Kuroo.

“So it had nothing to do with me? There wasn’t anything you saw in my memories. No matter who it was, you were determined to hate them.”

“Yes, ok? Yes. It had nothing to do with you.” 

“And you won’t give us a try because your dad sucks.”

Daishou was silent.

Mika nudged him again and he groaned. “Fine! We can go on one date or whatever.”

Kuroo stared at him. “I’m sorry, what?” He hadn’t even asked that!

“I said I’d go on a date with you!”

“And why the hell would I want to do that? You’ve been nothing but an asshole!” 

Daishou’s eyes widened and he turned toward the girl, gesturing broadly at Kuroo. “See! It’s hopeless!” 

“Please give him a chance! I promise he’s not such a bad guy. You two have the option to at least _try_ and some of us aren’t that lucky!” Shit. Mika was crying now. Was she like the guy Kuroo had dated? Her soulmate was dead and that’s why she was willing to go out with Daishou only when she thought he didn’t have a soulmate himself? “Fate put you two together for a reason! Wasn’t there something in the memories you saw that made you like him?”

Kuroo glared at her. 

“Shut up.” Kenma put his game system in his pocket, then grabbed Kuroo’s wrist. “We’re leaving. You don’t get to break him apart and then ask for a date like nothing happened. Find a way to gain his trust back and then _maybe_ you two could actually work.” 

Kuroo’s mouth fell open, but he was too startled to resist as Kenma dragged him through the food court back to where Nekoma was waiting. “Kenma—”

“He doesn’t get to do that to you and act like nothing happened.” 

Kuroo sighed, pulling them to a stop and then ruffling his friend’s hair. Kenma glared at him. “Thanks, Kenma-cat.” 

“Whatever.” 

“Wait!” Kuroo turned around to see Daishou standing there, lifting up his phone. “Ok, so I have to make it up to you, I get that. But how am I supposed to do that if I don’t at least have your number?”

“You could stalk Kuroo on social media like he’s been doing to you for the past few years.”

“Kenma!” Kuroo turned bright red, glaring at his friend.

“Oh?” Daishou was smirking now. “That’s good to know.” 

“Just more time I wasted trying to figure out why you were such an asshole.” Kuroo sighed, staring at the other boy. He’d wanted his soulmate to acknowledge him for so long… Kuroo sighed, then rattled off his number, grimly satisfied when Daishou scrambled to input it into his phone. “There. You can contact me, but don’t be annoying about it.” 

Days passed and he didn’t here a thing, but then there was a random article on docosahexaenoic acid with the tagline ‘it made me think of your stupid face.’

Kuroo stared at it. All those years… had Daishou been paying attention to the memories, after all? Even though he was determined to hate Kuroo?

A few days later, there was a link to an article on the superiority of spicy food, this time with only the word ‘weakling’ next to the link. 

Kuroo’s eyebrow twitched. 

And then an article on the best indoor swimming locations for Tokyo winters. 

Daishou had been paying attention. He even remembered what Kuroo liked. 

For the first time in years, Kuroo found himself thinking that maybe they could make things work after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed it! I haven't written anything in this series i forever; it was good to come back to it :D Someone requested this pairing a while back and I've been thinking about how to do it for a while now, but just haven't had the emotional capacity to write the angst. I finally finished it, though! As always, thank y'all for any/all comments and kudos!! I really do appreciate all of them <3 <3 
> 
> I'm part of a group of fic writers who are creating fics for people who donate to blacklivesmatter and related causes, so if you are interested in that project and/or having a fic written for you, here's a link to that post: https://fanficwriters4justice.tumblr.com/post/620364952307367936/donate-to-black-lives-matter-have-a-fic-written
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at haruhi1020 and if you want to talk about my work, writing, art, or anime in general, we always love to have new people join us on my discord server! We recommend fics to each other, have writing and art challenges, and play games :D You can be active as much or as little as you want. I try to keep ppl informed about upcoming works I’ll be posting and there’s also some fan art there of some of my works https://discord.gg/BDZGCBa


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